Slovenia Facts.

A territory found in Central Europe boasts of the family based restaurants that are guaranteed to fill all the hungry cravings and ensure satisfaction. It is the perfect place to feel the tranquillity of nature in the fresh open air. Of course, you cannot just leave without visiting the capital city Ljubljana, where you could find the galleries and museum filled with history, eager to tell its story and the majestic cathedral and castle perched on top of a hill. These are just a few of the reasons why you should explore more and would keep coming back to this beautiful country.

Important and Interesting Facts about Slovenia

Slovenia has 24 miles of coast on the Adriatic Sea. On land, it neighbors 4 countries: Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia.

Slovenia occupies an area about the size of the state of Massachusetts. It is largely a mountainous republic and almost half of the land is forested, with hilly plains spread across the central and eastern regions. Mount Triglav, the highest peak, rises to 9,393 ft (2,864 m).

Slovenia is a very interesting and diverse country as it is the only one in Europe that combines the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Pannonian Plain and the Karst.

Mt. Triglav, towering to a height of 2863 m, forms the highest peak in the Slovenian Alps. It is also represented on Slovenia’s national coat of arms.

Slovenia’s Skocjan Caves are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List. They are also one of the famous systems of limestone (karstic) caves in the world.

The largest lake in Slovenia is Lake Bohinj.

Slovenia is home to as many as 260 waterfalls, out of which Boka is the highest one.

Ptuj, the oldest town of Slovenia, was built on Roman foundations and claims the distinction of being a museum town.

Over 56% of the Slovenian territory is covered in woods, which places Slovenia among 3 most wooded countries in Europe. It is interesting that in Slovenia, unlike many other countries, wooded area increasingly spreads out.

The tallest industrial chimney in Europe is located in Slovenia. It is the thermoelectric power plant’s chimney in Trbovlje, 362 m high.

Areas along the coast enjoy a warm Mediterranean climate while those in the mountains to the north have cold winters and rainy summers. The plateaus to the east, where Ljubljana is located, have a mild, more moderate climate with warm to hot summers and cold winters.

Cool, Funny, and Fun Facts about Slovenia

Despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe’s major transit routes.

Over 60% of Slovenian territory is covered by forests. Even though this territory is small. Still impressive.

Old Vine in Maribor is over 400 years old: the oldest vine in the world. The newer wine, however, is also good!

Some scenes from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian were filmed in Slovenia’s Soča Valley.

Slovenian anthem – Zdravljica – is unusual, because instead of glorifying one single country as most of the anthems do it appeals to the unity of different nations.

Slovenian language is one of few languages in the world where dual form still exists. It can be of course sweet and romantic: you just say “midva” and everyone understands that you mean just your girlfriend & yourself. At the same time, for foreigners it’s one more source of sorrow while they’re fighting with Slovenian grammar.

Nearly 2 million of Slovenes speak in 32 regional dialects.

A cave near Reka was found to contain the bone of a cave bear, with artificially made holes. It is believed to be the oldest musical instrument in Europe.

Lipizzaner horses, known throughout the world, originate from Lipica in Slovenia.

The Slovenian language is one of the most archaic languages in Europe and in the world. It is the only EU official language which has the Dual. In addition, it has the most dialects given the number of inhabitants.

Historical and Cultural Facts about Slovenia

The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter’s dissolution at the end of World War I.

In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929.

After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow’s rule.

Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war.

Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia on 25th June 1991.

The town of Kamnik, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Piran, Ptuj and Skofja Loka were made chartered towns, in the 13th century.

The Triple Bridge is one of the main symbols of Ljubljana. It was designed by Joze Plecnik, in 1929.

Handball is a very popular sport in Slovenia and in its capital city Ljubljana, especially with women.

Slovene culinary heritage is reflective of Mediterranean, Alpine, and Eastern European cultures.

Meals are an important part of Slovene family life, and enjoying a snack or a glass of wine at a café with friends is a typical social activity.

In country towns the slaughtering of a pig, all parts of which are used to make a variety of pork products, is still a major event.

Although every region in Slovenia has its own specialties, most of Slovenia’s oldest traditional dishes are made using flour, buckwheat, or barley, as well as potatoes and cabbage.